Description
EMPLOYMENT TERMS: Full-time position
PRIMARY DUTY: The Director works closely with the Provost, Associate Provosts, Deans, School Chairs, other academic leaders, university staff, and faculty to support the work of the Learning & Teaching Center and Northwest Online. The focus of the Learning & Teaching Center is to increase the university's engagement and leadership in teaching pedagogy, learning, and the application of information/instructional technology to learning in campus, blended, and online courses. Northwest Online includes coordinating with university leadership, our academic leaders, and our online enablement services partner to support online programs in marketing, recruitment, student retention, and program development.
This position will have oversight on a full range of faculty professional development programs for both traditional and online faculty, including the management of educational technology initiatives and pedagogy strategies through the promotion of faculty development initiatives.
The Director is responsible for overseeing the policies and the operations of Northwest Online, the Learning & Teaching Center, and Textbook Services. The Director also coordinates the activities of the personnel and manages the budgetary considerations for the respective areas.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
1. Be responsible for the fiscal management of Northwest Online and the Learning & Teaching Center (LTC)
2. Serve as the administrative head of Northwest Online, the LTC, and Textbook Services
3. Recruit, develop, evaluate, and retain high-quality staff who can/are committed to NW mission of focusing on student success
4. Solve problems and make quality decisions in a consultative manner; remain firm on decisions, hold others accountable, and take responsibility for decisions.
5. Manage multiple budgets and submit yearly budget reports to Provost with proposed budget changes
6. Represent Northwest Online, the LTC, and Textbook Services to academic leadership upon request
7. Perform other duties as assigned
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS FOR NORTHWEST ONLINE:
1. Direct programs and services that serve the needs of the online student population of the University
2. Represent Northwest Online at the college and university levels. They are responsible for justification and direction of resources (people, materials) and for setting work unit's goals, objectives and priorities for maximum performance
3. Serve as the university liaison with the Online Program Manager (OPM) meeting monthly for operational discussions
4. Manage the day-to-day operations of Northwest Online including planning, organizing, budgeting, scheduling, staffing, assessment, and evaluation including but not limited to managing HR problems and processes
5. Manage the census process for the OPM and any related contracts and services with other signed contracts
6. Mange the Instructional Associate process
7. Work closely with the OPM’s Managing Director, Academic Services, Enrollment Manager, and Marketing Manager
8. Manage the Quality Matters (QM) program for online and blended course sites
9. Manage and monitor the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) initiatives for online programs
10. Provide leadership and manage the Northwest Online portal including course site creation, enrollments, and census process
11. Create and manage a marketing plan to increase web only online enrollments for web only students in conjunction with Marketing & Communication
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS FOR LTC:
1. Provide leadership to the student employment supervisor and team in determining appropriate projects
2. Work with Computing Services in selecting, distributing, and training new faculty on tablet and notebook computers and other hardware and software
3. Formulate and manage, in consultation with the Textbook Services Manager, faculty and supporting departments, the purchase and distribution of student textbooks/eTextbooks and related digital content
4. Manage the day-to-day operations of the Learning & Teaching Center, including planning, organizing, budgeting, scheduling, staffing, assessment, and evaluation including but not limited to managing HR problems and processes
5. Develop a range of programs in collaboration with faculty in the schools and departments to advance effective teaching and student learning and measure effectiveness
6. Manage the development of new faculty orientation programs, one-to-one consultations, pedagogical and instructional technology training sessions, and the development of learning communities
7. Provide professional development support for Northwest faculty in the development and sharing of effective teaching techniques, instructional technology practices and in the use of innovative digital technologies and services
8. Research and continually monitor the instructional and digital technology environments for trends
Supplemental Information:
WORKING CONDITIONS: The office is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Nights and weekends may be required
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: Staff within the areas of the Learning & Teaching Center and Textbook Services
EQUIPMENT/MATERIALS USED: Office machines including computer and software (e.g.; Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, LMS, etc.). MS Outlook email is used for all departmental communication
TYPICAL PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Ability to lift up to 20 pounds
COMMUNITY: Northwest Missouri State University is located in Maryville, Missouri, a community of 12,000 with a diverse economy and a strong industrial base. Maryville is located 45 miles north of St. Joseph, Missouri, 90 miles north of Kansas City, Missouri, and 110 miles southeast of Omaha, Nebraska. For more information visit the city’s website at www.maryville.org.
UNIVERSITY: With an enrollment of about 9,000 students, Northwest is a coeducational, primarily residential four-year university that offers a broad range of undergraduate and selected graduate programs on its Maryville campus and through Northwest Online.
Founded in 1905 and ranked by U.S. News and World Report among the top public regional universities in the Midwest, Northwest boasts a high retention rate and a graduation rate in the 95th percentile among its peers. Additionally, results of the Ruffalo Noel Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory show Northwest students are more satisfied than students at national peers, and 78 percent of Northwest students report they would repeat their University experience, compared to 75 percent of students surveyed nationally at their respective institutions.
Furthermore, the University is a national model for student success and career placement with 93 percent of bachelor’s degree earners and 99 percent of master’s degree earners securing employment or continuing their education within six months of completing a degree at Northwest, according to the most recent data.
Northwest places a high emphasis on profession-based learning to help graduates get a jumpstart on their careers while maintaining competitive tuition rates and generous financial assistance to help minimize the financial barriers students may face when pursuing a college degree.
Students have opportunities to build their résumés with experiences on campus in nearly every area of study, including the Horace Mann Laboratory School, National Public Radio affiliate KXCV, the R.T. Wright Farm, Mozingo Outdoor Education Recreation Area, a partnership with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency or Knacktive, a student-driven integrated digital marketing
communications agency. In conjunction with its emergency and disaster management program, Northwest organizes and hosts Missouri Hope, an annual mass casualty training exercise that attracts first responders and emergency workers from throughout the nation and provides hands-on training in preparation for a natural disaster.
The University’s vibrant and diverse learning community also offers more than 150 student organizations, and textbooks and a laptop are included in tuition, saving students an estimated $6,900 over four years. Northwest offers 1,200 student employment positions, allowing students to build professional skills through its internationally benchmarked student employment program.
For more information about Northwest and its performance, visit www.nwmissouri.edu/aboutus/facts/.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Until the position is filled
DATE AVAILABLE: March 2026
TO APPLY: Follow the steps of the online application process. Please contact the Office of Human Resources at 660-562-1121 or email ewilmes@nwmissouri.edu if more information is needed regarding the process.
Requirements
REQUIREMENTS:
Education: Master’s degree in Instructional Technology or design, educational technology, information systems, pedagogy, faculty development or equivalent
Experience: At least three years of experience in higher education; experience working with diverse groups of people; proven leadership experience; online teaching experience
Skills: Current knowledge of instructional design, professional training, particularly as applied to faculty at a higher education institution, Learning Management Systems (the institution is currently using Canvas | Instructure), and related tools and technologies related to learning objectives, course design, and outcomes for courses and programs
